Outer space is different from Earth for many reasons. One difference is that outer space is very cold. Even the coldest place on Earth one could think of could not compare to how cold outer space is. Also, outer space is at a much lower pressure than Earth. That is, the force air molecules in outer space exert on our bodies is much less. You have probably seen pictures of the men that walked on the moon and how they were able to bounce around. Gravity is not the same in outer space either!

To do studies that help us to identify molecules that are found in outer space we must study them in an environment that models outer space. For this reason, the experiments performed on the molecules Professor McMahon and his group study are done at very low temperatures. This environment is similar enough to outer space that we can assume the molecules do the same thing in both places.